Sarinah Supports Female Entrepreneurs in Indonesia

Renowned retailer of traditional handicrafts and ethnic fashion, Sarinah, is poised to play an increasingly vital role in assisting female entrepreneurs in Indonesia. As a dedicated supporter of Indonesia’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Sarinah has successfully established partnerships with approximately 400 local SMEs. With over 52 million SMEs across the archipelago, in which 60% of these businesses are led by women, Sarinah is, therefore, optimistic in undertaking its new endeavour.

The initiative to highlight the immense contribution of Indonesia’s female workforce is in keeping with Sarinah’s ongoing corporate strategy which includes closer engagements with businesswomen. Under a new leadership, Sarinah is looking to improve upon its guest services as well as provide greater shopping convenience at its Thamrin and Malang department stores while remaining focused in fulfilling its longstanding mission of assisting local SMEs. Among the company’s range of upcoming changes include a significant re-layout of its Thamrin Department Store that is tailored towards ensuring a more targeted approach in terms of products that are available for retail; this measure includes a tighter selection of retail products at every floor of the Sarinah Thamrin store location that is slated for completion at the latest in May 2017. Furthermore, Sarinah is currently undertaking a project that is set on revamping the fifth floor of the Sarinah Thamrin building. The project is carried out in order to offer an element of added value as well as uniqueness to Sarinah’s diverse collection of traditional handicrafts products. Through market observation, Sarinah has taken the initiative to enrich its traditional handicrafts product range by providing information such as the production process and historical story as a means of better informing guests about Indonesia’s rich cultural heritage; this measure is also moving in-line with Sarinah’s aim of becoming “The Window of Indonesia”.

In fully understanding the dynamic changes of today’s shoppers, Sarinah has also increased its participation in working alongside leading local talents such as Intan Avantie in featuring a wider range of ready-to-wear fashion collection. Moreover, Sarinah has also forged cooperation with budding fashion brands Batik Chic and Today & Tomorrow thus illustrating the company’s steadfast approach in bolstering the role of Indonesian female entrepreneurs within its business strategy. From a regional approach, Sarinah has engaged in discussions with the provincial government of North Sulawesi to showcase the region’s renowned fabric – which are produced by a predominantly female workforce – within a designated corner of the Sarinah Thamrin store. In 2017, Sarinah is also ready to relaunch its pop-up market concept so as to provide a platform for creative, young Indonesian entrepreneurs to introduce their high-quality markets to local and international consumers; Sarinah is targeting to host the pop-up market at a minimum two times every year.

Sarinah’s decision to undergo significant rebranding transformation demonstrates the company’s understanding of the measures that are required to remain at the forefront of the modern retail industry. As the company moves ahead in entering the contemporary era of retail services in Indonesia and internationally, Sarinah remains passionate in assisting local SMEs and promising female entrepreneurs to achieve market success.

PT Sarinah (Persero)

Sarinah is a state owned enterprise committed to supporting local craftsmen, communities and entrepreneurs to promote Indonesian products and serve as the home of Indonesian heritage for locals, visitors and the global export market.